U.S. PIRG - Public Healthhttps://uspirg.org/topics/public-health
enStop The Overuse Of Antibiotics on Factory Farms https://uspirg.org/issues/usp/stop-overuse-antibiotics-factory-farms-0
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<h2>WHAT IF ANTIBIOTICS STOPPED WORKING?</h2>
<p class="p1">If you are like most Americans, you or someone in your family has been prescribed antibiotics to treat an illness. Maybe it was a simple ear infection, or strep throat. Or maybe it was something potentially life-threatening, like pneumonia or a post-surgery infection. <span style="font-size: 13.008px;"> </span></p>
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<p class="p1">We assume that when we get an infectious illness the antibiotics our doctors prescribe for us will make us better. But what if they didn’t? Medical experts, including from the World Health Organization, are warning that if we don’t stop the overuse of antibiotics, they could stop working — with potentially <a href="http://www.who.int/drugresistance/documents/surveillancereport/en/">grave consequences for public health.</a><span style="font-size: 13.008px;"> </span></p>
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<p class="p1"><img alt="" class="media-image" width="620" typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://uspirg.org/sites/pirg/files/sick-kid-caption.png" /></p>
<h2 class="p1"><strong>ANTIBIOTIC OVERUSE ON FACTORY FARMS</strong></h2>
<p class="p1">Despite these warnings, many factory farms are giving antibiotics to healthy livestock on a routine basis. Why? Crowded and unsanitary conditions, along with other practices used on factory farms can put animals’ health at risk. </p>
<p class="p1">But, instead of treating sick animals with antibiotics when they get an infection, many farming operations just <a href="http://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/farmaceuticals-the-drugs-fed-to-farm-animals-and-the-risks-posed-to-humans/">distribute antibiotics</a> to all of their animals as <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/narms/animals.html" target="_blank">a preventative measure</a>. Factory farms also discovered that giving animals a regular dose of antibiotics made them <a href="http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm378100.htm" target="_blank">gain weight faster</a>. And now, approximately 70% of all medically important antibiotics in the United States are sold <a href="http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2016/12/fda-antibiotic-use-food-animals-continues-rise" target="_blank">for use in livestock and poultry</a>. </p>
<p>Antibiotics are meant to be given in precise doses to treat specific types of infections. When they are used on a routine, or regular basis by farming operations, it increases the likelihood that bacteria resistant to the antibiotics will grow and spread, and our <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/getsmart/antibiotic-use/antibiotic-resistance-faqs.html#how-bacteria-resist%20" target="_blank">life-saving medicines won't work</a>.</p>
<p class="p1">According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "each year in the United States, at least 2 million people become infected with bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics, and at least 23,000 people die each year <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/features/AntibioticResistanceThreats/index.html" target="_blank">as a direct result of these infections</a>." And a recent study estimated that unless action is taken, these infections could kill more people worldwide by 2050 than <a href="http://amr-review.org/" target="_blank">cancer does today</a>.<span style="font-size: 13.008px;"> </span></p>
<p class="p1"><img alt="" class="media-image" width="620" typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://uspirg.org/sites/pirg/files/website-quote_v2_2.png" /></p>
<h2 class="p1"><strong>HEALTH PROFESSIONALS RAISING THE ALARM</strong></h2>
<p class="p2">The calls for action from the public health community are growing louder, and more urgent. For instance,<a href="http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2014/amr-report/en/" target="_blank"> World Health Organization</a> officials said: "Without urgent, coordinated action by many stakeholders, the world is headed for a post-antibiotic era, in which common infections and minor injuries which have been treatable for decades can once again kill." </p>
<p class="p1">Doctors are also overwhelmingly concerned. In a <a href="http://uspirg.org/sites/pirg/files/reports/Prescription%20For%20Change_0.pdf" target="_blank">poll</a> released by U.S. PIRG and Consumer Reports, 93% of doctors polled said they were concerned about the practice of using antibiotics on healthy animals for growth promotion and disease prevention. In addition, 85% of doctors polled said that in the last year, one or more of their patients had a presumed or confirmed case of a <a href="http://uspirg.org/sites/pirg/files/reports/Prescription%20For%20Change_0.pdf" target="_blank">drug-resistant infection</a>. </p>
<p class="p1"><img alt="" class="media-image" width="620" typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://uspirg.org/sites/pirg/files/dr_price_caption_fixed_2.jpg" /></p>
<h2 class="p1"><strong>IT’S TIME FOR ACTION ON ANTIBIOTIC OVERUSE</strong></h2>
<p class="p1">U.S. PIRG is organizing the public to push for change. We’ve collected more than 200,000 petitions from citizens and families, built a coalition of more than 30,000 doctors and members of the medical community, and enlisted the support of farmers who raise their livestock without misuing antibiotics.</p>
<p class="p2">Large farming operations and the drug industry have resisted change, and have so far blocked efforts in Congress and from government agencies. But now, we're working to convince big restaurants to pressure these farms to change their practices. <span style="font-size: 13.008px;"> </span></p>
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tt7GZ0GgWJU" frameborder="0" width="560" height="315"></iframe><p class="p2"><span style="font-size: 13.0080003738403px; line-height: 1.538em;"> <sup><a href="http://uspirg.org/blogs/blog/usp/whos-next-help-save-antibiotics" target="_blank">View video credits here.</a></sup></span></p>
<h2>BIG FARMS &amp; RESTAURANTS NEED TO DO THEIR PART</h2>
<p class="p1">In March 2015, we helped convince McDonald’s to stop serving chicken raised on our life-saving medicines. Shortly after, Tyson Foods, a major chicken producer and McDonald's supplier, followed suit. Then, in October, we convinced Subway, with more restaurants than any other chain in the United States, to make a commitment to stop serving any meat raised on antibiotics.</p>
<p>Most recently, we helped move KFC, the fried chicken giant, to commit to a policy that by the end of 2018 all chicken purchased by the company in the United States will be raised without antibiotics important to human medicine. As a major chicken buyer, and a company whose supply chain is far reaching, KFC’s new commitment could push the U.S. chicken industry drastically away from the routine use of medically important antibiotics. <span style="font-size: 13.008px;"> </span></p>
<p class="p1">These were huge victories to protect public health, but now, other major chains need to take action. </p>
<p class="p1">Unsurprisingly, the industry is fighting back, trying to confuse consumers with misleading arguments about whether these commitments mean sick animals won't get treatment or whether there are antibiotics in the meat. But we know that's not true, and not the problem here. The problem is that farms are giving antibiotics to animals on a routine basis as a preventative measure — not just to treat sick animals. That routine use can turn farms into breeding grounds for drug-resistant bacteria. And that's why our call is for meat raised without the routine use of antibiotics.</p>
<p class="p1">With thousands of Americans dying, and millions more getting sick from antibiotic-resistant infections every year, it's time for more chains to follow the lead of Subway, McDonald's, KFC and many others.</p>
<p class="p1">If we don’t take decisive action soon, we could face a world in which life-saving antibiotics no longer work. This is why we need your help today. <span style="font-size: 13.008px;"> </span></p>
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<p><strong>A GROWING THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH</strong> — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that at least 23,000 people die every year from antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and warns that the widespread overuse of antibiotics on factory farms is putting our health at risk.</p>
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Fri, 17 Apr 2015 16:47:23 +0000mavila@publicinterestnetwork.org40181 at https://uspirg.orghttps://uspirg.org/issues/usp/stop-overuse-antibiotics-factory-farms-0#commentsConsumer Guide Released for Valentine's Day: Research Shows Some Lipsticks Contain Harmful Chemicalshttps://uspirg.org/news/usp/consumer-guide-released-valentines-day-research-shows-some-lipsticks-contain-harmful
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<span class="date-display-single" property="dc:date" datatype="xsd:dateTime" content="2018-02-13T00:00:00-05:00">Tuesday, February 13, 2018</span>
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<div class="field field-name-field-author-bio field-type-node-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/staff/usp/dev-gowda">Dev Gowda</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/staff/usp/kara-cook-schultz">Kara Cook-Schultz</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden">
<p dir="ltr">We should be able to trust that the products we buy are safe — especially ones our families use every day, applied directly to our lips. However, today U.S. PIRG Education Fund released a consumer guide entitled “Kiss Off,” which contains examples of lipsticks, lip balms, and children’s lip products which contain ingredients linked to cancer, hormone disruption, and reproductive problems. Popular brands such as Maybelline, L'Oréal, and ChapStick made the list.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img alt="" class="media-image" height="180" width="180" typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://uspirg.org/sites/pirg/files/styles/square_thumbnail/public/Kiss%20Off%20Report%20cover_2.JPG?itok=wByL5tca" /></p>
<p dir="ltr">U.S. PIRG Education Fund surveyed popular lip products that the entire family uses and found that consumers must still be wary when shopping for their everyday lip products. While these findings are alarming, they are not necessarily surprising, given that the FDA does not require ingredients to be tested or approved for human safety before they are added into our personal care products and cosmetics. As such, manufacturers can use nearly any ingredient they choose.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Our research found that some common lip products to avoid are: </p>
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<p dir="ltr">Lipsticks:</p>
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<p dir="ltr">L'Oréal Paris Colour Riche Shine Lipstick in Dazzling Doe (contains fragrance)</p>
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<p dir="ltr">Potential health effects: cancer, reproductive and respiratory problems, allergies</p>
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<p dir="ltr">Lip balm:</p>
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<p dir="ltr">ChapStick Classic Original (contains propylparaben and methylparaben)</p>
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<p dir="ltr">Potential health effects: skin cancer, reproductive toxicity, hormone disruption</p>
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<p dir="ltr">Children’s lip balm:</p>
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<p dir="ltr">Maybelline Baby Lips Moisturizing Lip Balm (contains fragrance)</p>
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</ul></ul><p dir="ltr">To create the consumer guide, U.S. PIRG Education Fund researchers looked at ingredients listed for many common lip products, cross-referenced them with cosmetic chemical databases and peer-reviewed studies, and developed a consumer guide listing several examples of popular lip products that contain chemicals of concern such as fragrance/parfum and parabens that have been linked to cancer, reproductive problems, and hormone disruption. </p>
<p dir="ltr">There is good news in the report: several manufacturers have cracked down on lead in their lipstick since 2010. Lipsticks that used to contain lead are now lead-free products. The consumer guide also includes a list of safer alternative lip products that do not contain common chemicals of concern.</p>
<p dir="ltr">"This Valentine’s Day, we shouldn’t be giving our loved ones a toxic chemical-tainted kiss," said Kara Cook-Schultz, Toxics Director of U.S. PIRG Education Fund. “We should be able to trust that the products we apply directly to our mouths which we ingest, are safe. Until that’s the case, consumers need to watch out for common potentially hazardous ingredients when shopping for lip products.”</p>
<p dir="ltr">While the lip products in the guide may not necessarily violate any laws, consumers should pay attention to products containing ingredients that are linked to negative health effects, and be aware of how to avoid those chemicals in their personal care routine.</p>
<p dir="ltr">U.S. PIRG Education Fund has the following recommendations:</p>
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<p dir="ltr">For manufacturers:</p>
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<p dir="ltr">Remove chemicals of concern and replace with safer ingredients, and disclose fragrance ingredients.</p>
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<p dir="ltr">For State lawmakers: set policies to mandate personal care product manufactures to disclose fragrance ingredients</p>
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<p dir="ltr">For Consumers: </p>
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<p dir="ltr">Avoid products that have common ingredients of concern such as fragrance/parfum, and parabens. </p>
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<p dir="ltr">Call the companies who make your favorite lip products, and tell them you want their products made without toxic chemicals.</p>
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</ul></ul><p dir="ltr">The full consumer guide including links to stores selling the products featured can be found <a href="https://uspirgedfund.org/reports/usf/kiss-consumers-guide-saying-no-toxic-lip-products">here</a>. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Researchers also provided some examples of safer alternative lip products that consumers can buy to avoid common hazardous chemicals: </p>
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<p dir="ltr">Lipsticks:</p>
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<p dir="ltr">Mineral Fusion Lip Sheer - Flashy</p>
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<p dir="ltr">Coastal Classic Creations Pure Classic Lipstick - Conch</p>
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<p dir="ltr">Maia's Mineral Galaxy Mineral Lipstick - Forever Friend</p>
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<p dir="ltr">Lip balm:</p>
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<p dir="ltr">Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm (doesn’t contain fragrance)</p>
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</ul></ul><p dir="ltr">We can’t definitively say that any particular product is 100% safe for all users. We chose to highlight these products because they are formulated without major chemicals of concern that are found in many lip products. In addition to the toxics concerns that we are raising, it’s possible for people to be allergic to specific ingredients, or have other kinds of sensitivities depending on genetic or environmental factors. It’s best to look for products with low-hazard ingredients, like the ones we highlight on our list. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Access our full consumer guide <a href="https://uspirgedfund.org/reports/usf/kiss-consumers-guide-saying-no-toxic-lip-products">here</a>, or go to our website at USPIRGEdFund.org </p>
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<p dir="ltr">We should be able to trust that the products we buy are safe — especially ones our families use every day, applied directly to our lips. However, today U.S. PIRG Education Fund released a consumer guide entitled “Kiss Off,” which contains examples of lipsticks, lip balms, and children’s lip products which contain ingredients linked to cancer, hormone disruption, and reproductive problems. Popular brands such as Maybelline, L'Oréal, and ChapStick made the list.</p>
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Tue, 13 Feb 2018 08:26:45 +0000kara.cook60691 at https://uspirg.orghttps://uspirg.org/news/usp/consumer-guide-released-valentines-day-research-shows-some-lipsticks-contain-harmful#commentsKiss Off: A Consumer's Guide To Saying No To Toxic Lip Productshttps://uspirg.org/reports/usf/kiss-consumers-guide-saying-no-toxic-lip-products
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<span class="date-display-single" property="dc:date" datatype="xsd:dateTime" content="2018-02-13T00:00:00-05:00">Tuesday, February 13, 2018</span>
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<span class="file"><img class="file-icon" alt="PDF icon" title="application/pdf" src="/modules/file/icons/application-pdf.png" /> <a href="https://uspirg.org/sites/pirg/files/reports/Toxics%20Lip%20Products%20Consumer%20Guide.pdf" type="application/pdf; length=1673696">Toxics Lip Products Consumer Guide.pdf</a></span>
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<p>Lip products are used by most Americans every day. In fact, 81 percent of women and 39 percent of men use lipstick or lip balm products. Unfortunately, the ingredients in these products are barely regulated, and many major brands use toxic chemicals in these products. </p>
<p>Research into major lip product brands sold across the United States reveal that big-name manufacturers such as L’Oréal, Maybelline, and Chapstick contain chemicals that are harmful. Some of these ingredients, like parabens and fragrance, are linked to cancer, reproductive problems, and other negative health effects.</p>
<p>This consumer guide includes some potentially dangerous examples and a few “safer” alternative products that do not contain these toxic ingredients. With so many lip products that contain toxic chemicals, it is hard for the average consumer to know what is safe to use and what is not. The goal of this report is to help consumers choose a safe lip care product without having to worry about the safety of themselves or their family.The United States first began to take steps to protect consumers from chemicals found in cosmetics in 1938 with the passage of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA), which allowed the FDA to control for the safety of food, drug and cosmetic products. Almost 30 years later, the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (FPLA) passed in 1967, which required manufacturers to disclose the net quantity of contents in consumer products. But not all ingredients in cosmetics are required to be disclosed. The ingredient “fragrance” or “parfum” refers to a mixture of scent chemicals and ingredients that don’t have to be disclosed. Some fragrance chemicals have been linked to cancer, reproductive and respiratory problems, and allergies. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, these toxic chemicals are also found in products that are intended for those most vulnerable: children. Up to 15 percent of girls under the age of 12 use lipstick – and more and more brands are selling “dessert-flavored” lip products to appeal to children. These products contain many of the same dangerous ingredients that adult lipstick contains.<br />
<br />
Many industries have undergone a renaissance in safer production of goods. The food industry has drastically changed to offer healthier options to consumers, such as the explosion in production and availability of organic foods. The cosmetic industry, on the other hand, is still lagging. While there are certain natural and toxic-free cosmetic brands, it’s shocking that some of the most popular lipstick brands were found to contain high levels of lead. Parabens and some of the ingredients in fragrance, linked to cancer in humans, are prevalent in lip care products as well. </p>
<p>And there is reason for Americans to be concerned about what they are putting on their lips. Lipstick and lip balm don’t disappear off of our lips--instead, some of that product is being ingested by the consumer. When we’re licking our lips, drinking our coffee, or eating our breakfast, Americans are ingesting lip product. The amount ingested is significant: on average, an American woman will apply lipstick 2.35 times per day, and some women apply as much as 14 times per day. The result is that some women are ingesting a pound of lipstick every two years (or as much as 87 milligrams of lip product per day). Over the course of a lifetime, that usage can have serious consequences for a person’s health. </p>
<p>In the 50 years since the FPLA passed, we have learned that long term exposure to toxic chemicals in cosmetics and other consumer products can cause significant harm to human health. Unfortunately, policy decisions have not caught up with the science. Until the law does catch up, it is imperative for consumers to learn about the most harmful ingredients in their favorite lipstick, lip gloss, and lip balm products. In particular, people should carefully monitor the use of unsafe lip products used by children. Consumers should hold manufacturers accountable for removing harmful chemicals from their products and replacing them with safer alternatives. </p>
<p>We looked at many brands and types of lip products currently on the market and evaluated them for safety. We have broken this report into three sections: 1) toxic chemicals found in lip products; 2) lip products that are safer alternatives and do not contain common chemicals of concern; and 3) recommendations for manufacturers and policy makers.</p>
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Tue, 13 Feb 2018 07:13:47 +0000kara.cook60671 at https://uspirg.orghttps://uspirg.org/reports/usf/kiss-consumers-guide-saying-no-toxic-lip-products#commentsNew Jersey joins list of states acting to protect bees: Victory!https://uspirg.org/blogs/blog/usp/new-jersey-joins-list-states-acting-protect-bees-victory
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<div class="field field-name-field-shared-post-date field-type-datetime field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single" property="dc:date" datatype="xsd:dateTime" content="2018-02-06T00:00:00-05:00">Tuesday, February 6, 2018</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author-bio field-type-node-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/staff/usp/kara-cook-schultz">Kara Cook-Schultz</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden">
<p>In January, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie signed legislation to protect native bees and honeybees from pesticide exposure.</p>
<p>The new bill requires people who spray pesticides to notify keepers of honeybees and native bees when they are applying pesticide within three miles of a registered beehive.</p>
<p>This means that beekeepers who register their hives with the state of New Jersey have the opportunity to protect their bees when neonicotinoids (“neonics”) and other pesticides are sprayed nearby. Assembly Bill A-3400 will also require the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to establish an educational course on pesticides’ effects on bees for pesticide-spraying professionals.</p>
<p>That training can’t come soon enough. Nationwide, honeybee deaths average 33 percent per year, but New Jersey lost 41 percent of its honeybee population in 2017. Native bees, including bumblebees, carpenter bees, sweat bees and more, are also under duress.</p>
<p>“This decline in our bee population threatens food production and the livelihood of our farmers,” said a co-sponsor of the bill, Assemblyman Adam Taliaferro.</p>
<p>Bees pollinate crops and flowers across New Jersey, so the Garden State is one of a growing number of states passing legislation meant to protect bees and other pollinators. Last year, Maryland banned the private sale of bee-harming neonics, and two weeks ago the state of California announced that it will no longer let pesticide companies expand use of bee-killing neonics in the state.</p>
<p>The next step in New Jersey is not simply to warn beekeepers of the use of these pesticides, but to institute a ban that will fully protect bees and other pollinators — which in turn will protect the people of New Jersey.</p>
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Tue, 06 Feb 2018 23:25:13 +0000kara.cook60516 at https://uspirg.orghttps://uspirg.org/blogs/blog/usp/new-jersey-joins-list-states-acting-protect-bees-victory#commentsBee-Killing Pesticides Found in Great Lakes Waterhttps://uspirg.org/news/usp/bee-killing-pesticides-found-great-lakes-water
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<span class="date-display-single" property="dc:date" datatype="xsd:dateTime" content="2018-02-06T00:00:00-05:00">Tuesday, February 6, 2018</span>
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<div class="field field-name-field-author-bio field-type-node-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/staff/usp/kara-cook-schultz">Kara Cook-Schultz</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden">
<p>A recent scientific study found the presence of commonly-used pesticides known to harm bees ("neonicotinoids" or "neonics") in several Great Lakes waterways. This study shows we know very little about the effects of pesticides once released into the environment.</p>
<p>According to Kara Cook-Schultz, Pesticides Director at U.S. PIRG Education Fund, "The results of this study show that these pesticides stay in our water after they're sprayed--that the pesticides persist in the environment long after they're applied to farms and homes.”</p>
<p>The <a href="http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0269749117344962?via=sd&amp;cc=y">study</a> is the first to show that these pesticides—which have gained notoriety in recent years as a prime suspect in bee deaths—are persistent in the world’s largest freshwater system, the Great Lakes. The study also suggests Great Lakes’ drinking water, fish, birds, and entire ecosystems might be at risk.</p>
<p>Neonicotinoids are the most heavily used insecticides on the planet—designed to attack the nervous systems of insects and protect crops from damage. Once thought to be relatively innocuous to wildlife higher up the food chain, scientists are increasingly reporting toxic effects. The chemicals are linked to bee die-offs. Last summer a major study in <a href="http://science.sciencemag.org/content/356/6345/1395"><em>Science</em></a> reported bees near cornfields exposed to neonicotinoids for a few months via pollen suffered from decreased survival and poor immune systems. In birds, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature13531">exposure</a> to the chemicals has been linked to population declines.</p>
<p>Michelle Hladik, lead author of the new study and a research chemist at the U.S. Geological Survey, said the major risk of these chemicals is to aquatic insects—an effect that could ripple up the food chain.</p>
<p>“If these pesticides are affecting aquatic insects, causing lower populations, it could affect the food chain by removing a food source," she said.</p>
<p>Prior to the study little was known about the chemicals’ presence in the Great Lakes region. From October 2015 to September 2016, Hladik and colleagues took monthly samples from ten rivers that all drain into the Great Lakes, finding these pesticides in Ohio, New York, Indiana, and Wisconsin. They found at least one insecticide in 74 percent of the samples and found three neonicotinoids in 10 percent of the samples. The concentrations increased in spring and summer months—suggesting planting of insecticide-treated seeds is behind the spike. The pesticides are also used by non-farmers in the spring/summer in garden and landscaping sprays and products.</p>
<p>Kerzee pointed out that a large percentage of the chemicals detected came from urban areas. This shows that gardening and “urban use of pesticides has a substantial impact on the health of our waterways,” she said.</p>
<p>Not surprisingly, there was a strong correlation between presence of the chemicals and nearby land cover — for instance, no neonics were found at the Bad River, which is the only tributary that’s surrounded by forest. Meanwhile, Ohio’s Maumee River, which is surrounded by corn and soybean crops, had some of the highest levels of the chemicals.</p>
<p>Hladik said that though the levels were relatively low, the EPA recently lowered the toxic threshold for certain neonics and “some of these tributaries are now above that (threshold) for part of the year.”</p>
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<div class="field field-name-field-term-topics field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden">
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<a href="/topics/public-health" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Public Health</a> </div>
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<a href="/topics/food" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Food</a> </div>
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<div class="field field-name-field-noderef-issues field-type-node-reference field-label-hidden">
<a href="/issues/usp/ban-bee-killing-pesticides">Ban Bee-Killing Pesticides</a>
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<div class="field field-name-field-shared-organization field-type-text field-label-hidden">
U.S. PIRG/U.S. PIRG Education Fund
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<div class="field field-name-field-shared-summary field-type-text-long field-label-hidden">
<p>A recent scientific study found the presence of commonly-used pesticides known to harm bees ("neonicotinoids" or "neonics") in several Great Lakes waterways. This study shows we know very little about the effects of pesticides once released into the environment.</p>
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Tue, 06 Feb 2018 23:15:07 +0000kara.cook60511 at https://uspirg.orghttps://uspirg.org/news/usp/bee-killing-pesticides-found-great-lakes-water#commentsWinter 2018 News Briefshttps://uspirg.org/resources/usp/winter-2018-news-briefs
<ul class="field field-name-field-term-topics field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden">
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<a href="/topics/public-health" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Public Health</a> </li>
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<a href="/topics/consumer-protection" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Consumer Protection</a> </li>
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<a href="/topics/solid-waste" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Solid Waste</a> </li>
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<h2><strong><a name="Childrens-Products" id="Childrens-Products"></a>Toy Safety</strong></h2>
<p><strong>Protecting Children From Dangerous Products</strong></p>
<p><strong><img alt="" class="media-image" width="620" typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://uspirg.org/sites/pirg/files/Toy2%20%28Credit%2C%20Supreet%20Muppa%29.jpg" /></strong></p>
<p>We need to protect our youngest consumers from unsafe toys. For more than 30 years, U.S. PIRG Education Fund has worked hard to identify toys that threaten our children, call on manufacturers and regulators to take important actions, and inform parents and caregivers of the dangers that could be in their homes. </p>
<p><strong>Lead In Fidget Spinners </strong></p>
<p>Last fall, our researchers made a particularly alarming discovery when we tested fidget spinners for lead: We found two fidget spinners from Target that had up to 300 times the legal limit for lead in children’s products. </p>
<p>We immediately called on Target to remove the toxic spinners from its website and stores, and spread the word through major media outlets, including CBS and The Washington Post. Within days of releasing our test results, Target removed the two fidget spinners from its shelves. </p>
<p>Now, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Target and the manufacturer Bulls i Toy need to ensure that these two fidget spinners are fully recalled. </p>
<p><strong>32nd Annual Toy Report </strong></p>
<p>In November, U.S. PIRG Education Fund released our 32nd annual Trouble In Toyland report, which found that stores nationwide are still offering dangerous toys and, in some cases, ignoring explicit government safety regulations in the process. </p>
<p>In addition to exposing fidget spinners full of lead, the report found inadequately labeled toys and balloons that pose a choking hazard, and data-collecting toys that may violate children’s privacy and other consumer protection laws. We also provided a list of toys that have been recalled over the past year. </p>
<p>“Our leaders and consumer watchdogs need to do more to protect our youngest consumers from the hazards of unsafe toys. No child should ever be injured, get sick or die from playing with a dangerous toy,” said Dev Gowda, toxics advocate with U.S. PIRG Education Fund. </p>
<p>Visit <a href="http://www.toysafetytips.org" target="_blank">toysafetytips.org</a> to read our full Trouble In Toyland report.</p>
<p> </p>
<h2><a name="Ban-Bee-Killing-Pesticides" id="Ban-Bee-Killing-Pesticides"></a>Toxics</h2>
<p><strong>Working To Ban Bee-Killing Pesticides</strong></p>
<p><strong><img alt="" class="media-image" width="620" typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://uspirg.org/sites/pirg/files/bee-white-flower_Shutterstock_199196981_sumikophoto%20copy.jpg" /></strong></p>
<p>Bees are dying at unprecedented rates, with real consequences for our food supply, environment and economy. We rely on bees to pollinate $15 billion worth of crops every year—everything from almonds to strawberries to the alfalfa used to feed dairy cows. </p>
<p>That’s why U.S. PIRG launched our Ban Bee-Killing Pesticides campaign last fall, going door to door and email inbox to inbox to educate and engage our supporters to take action to save bees and our food supply. </p>
<p>With support from our members, we’re calling for states across the country to ban bee-killing pesticides like neonicotinoids. If enough states take action, we will eliminate the use of more than 40 percent of insecticides used in this country, giving bees a better chance to survive. </p>
<p>Furthermore, that kind of collective action will be a strong signal to large chemical companies and to the federal government that the public wants to limit the use of bee-killing pesticides. </p>
<p>Learn more about our campaign <a href="https://uspirg.org/issues/usp/ban-bee-killing-pesticides" target="_self">here</a>.</p>
<p> </p>
<h2><a name="Consumer-Watchdog" id="Consumer-Watchdog"></a>Consumer Protection</h2>
<p><strong>Standing Up For Our Consumer Watchdog</strong></p>
<p><strong><img alt="" class="media-image" width="620" typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://uspirg.org/sites/pirg/files/CFPB2%20%28Credit%2C%20Staff%29.JPG" /></strong></p>
<p>Six years ago, U.S. PIRG helped create the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to make sure banks and financial companies treat us fairly and play by the rules. Since then, the bureau has returned nearly $12 billion to ripped-off consumers. </p>
<p>Yet President Trump and some in Congress are trying to strip away vital consumer protections, and even eliminate the Consumer Bureau. That’s why we knocked on more than 300,000 doors across the country last summer, mobilizing more than 60,000 citizens to sign our petition to Congress. </p>
<p>In November, when Richard Cordray stepped down as director of the Consumer Bureau and the president named staunch CFPB opponent Mick Mulvaney as acting director, we doubled down on our efforts to ensure the agency stays strong and independent. With support from members like you, we’ll fight tooth and nail to ensure this important agency continues to thrive in the future. </p>
<p>Get the latest from our campaign <a href="https://uspirg.org/sites/pirg/files/cpn/USN-072417-A1-ISSUE/defend-consumer-bureau3.html" target="_self">here</a>. </p>
<p> </p>
<h2><a name="Hurricane-Cleanup" id="Hurricane-Cleanup"></a>Toxics</h2>
<p><strong>Pushing For Toxic Cleanup After Hurricanes</strong></p>
<p><strong><img alt="" class="media-image" width="620" typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://uspirg.org/sites/pirg/files/Superfund%20%28CC0%2C%20Email%20Size%29%20copy.jpg" /></strong></p>
<p>After the hurricanes hit Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico last year, we learned anew that it’s not only the initial storm that threatens life and limb, but also chemical facilities and Superfund sites that are hit. </p>
<p>Our national staff released factsheets to alert residents to the location and dangers associated with these sites, and successfully lobbied the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to clean up a particularly dangerous site in Texas, the San Jacinto Waste Pits. </p>
<p>With your support, we’ll continue to stand with Americans affected by the storms until they have the protections they need to safely recover. </p>
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Mon, 05 Feb 2018 15:48:07 +0000lbrennan60476 at https://uspirg.orghttps://uspirg.org/resources/usp/winter-2018-news-briefs#commentsCarcinogens in our kids’ soccer fields? A local mom’s takehttps://uspirg.org/blogs/blog/usf/carcinogens-our-kids%E2%80%99-soccer-fields-local-mom%E2%80%99s-take
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<a href="/blogs/usp/blog">Blog</a>
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<div class="field field-name-field-shared-post-date field-type-datetime field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single" property="dc:date" datatype="xsd:dateTime" content="2018-01-26T00:00:00-05:00">Friday, January 26, 2018</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author-bio field-type-node-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/staff/usp/dev-gowda">Dev Gowda</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden">
<p>Leslie Billings, a Chicago mom, has been taking an active role in her community about the dangers of carcinogens in soccer fields’ artificial turf. CBS Chicago <a href="http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2018/01/18/crumb-rubber-turf-concerns/">recently did a story</a> featuring Leslie about parents investigating the safety of using tire materials in their kids' fields. Kids should be playing in safe and healthy environments, and parents shouldn’t have to worry about chemicals in the turf when they drop their kids off at soccer practice. Below is a snippet provided to me by Leslie:</p>
<p><img alt="" class="media-image" typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://uspirg.org/sites/pirg/files/styles/large/public/soccer%20kids.jpg?itok=IF3IbFXL" /></p>
<p>From Leslie Billings, Chicago, IL:</p>
<p><em>“As a parent of two young children who play soccer, I am concerned about the crumb rubber infill used in artificial turf soccer fields. Crumb rubber samples have been found to contain a long list of known and suspected human carcinogens, like benzene, which the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/leukemia/">has been linked to Leukemia</a>. This is concerning. </em></p>
<p><em>“Although those that have chosen to install crumb rubber fields continue to tout the material as “100% safe,” the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/chemical-research/federal-research-recycled-tire-crumb-used-playing-fields">Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has said that</a> “existing studies do not comprehensively evaluate the concerns about health risks from exposure to tire crumb.” I also know that the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) <a href="http://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/cpsc-says-they-no-longer-think-crumb-rubber-artifi/53967230">no longer endorses crumb rubber as safe to play on</a> and lists a number of precautions that parents should take if they allow their children to play on crumb rubber. I am also aware of the fact that our Federal Regulatory Agencies are concerned enough about the issue that <a href="https://www.epa.gov/chemical-research/federal-research-recycled-tire-crumb-used-playing-fields">they are currently investigating crumb rubber safety</a>…but that we are not expected to get answers for some time. So we are supposed to sit back, allow our children to play on crumb rubber, and hope for the best?</em></p>
<p><em>“My children love to play soccer and would play on crumb rubber all day if I let them. But at six and nine years old, they are not tasked with managing their health and safety. I am. And I have no intention of gambling with their health. It’s time for our community leaders to stop gambling with the health and safety of children. And it’s time for parents to start standing up and demanding something better for their children. I'm looking forward to attending the next Niles, IL Park District meeting on February 15th from 6-7pm at the Howard Leisure Center in Niles to voice my opinion, and I encourage other local residents to attend as well." </em></p>
<p><em>"Playing sports should be a way to engage children in a fun and healthy exercise. It shouldn’t have to be a cause for concern because they have to do it on a bed of cancer causing agents. As for me, I’ll pass.”</em></p>
<p> </p>
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<a href="/topics/public-health" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Public Health</a> </li>
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Fri, 26 Jan 2018 19:33:48 +0000dev60196 at https://uspirg.orghttps://uspirg.org/blogs/blog/usf/carcinogens-our-kids%E2%80%99-soccer-fields-local-mom%E2%80%99s-take#commentsThe Big Mac Can Make A Big Dent In Stopping Antibiotic Overusehttps://uspirg.org/blogs/blog/usp/big-mac-can-make-big-dent-stopping-antibiotic-overuse
<div class="field field-name-field-shared-blogref field-type-node-reference field-label-hidden">
<a href="/blogs/usp/blog">Blog</a>
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<div class="field field-name-field-shared-post-date field-type-datetime field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single" property="dc:date" datatype="xsd:dateTime" content="2018-01-25T00:00:00-05:00">Thursday, January 25, 2018</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author-bio field-type-node-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/staff/usp/matt-wellington">Matt Wellington</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden">
<p dir="ltr">Most of us have had a hamburger or two under the golden arches.</p>
<p dir="ltr"></p>
<p dir="ltr">But what many don’t know is that most beef in the U.S. is raised on the routine use of medically important antibiotics, a farming practice that’s reducing the effectiveness of our most foundational medicines.</p>
<p dir="ltr"></p>
<p dir="ltr">A staggering 70 percent of human antibiotics in the U.S. are sold for use in livestock and poultry operations. </p>
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<p dir="ltr">In many cases, industrial farms don’t use antibiotics just to treat sick animals — they use them as a preventative measure to keep animals from falling ill in crowded and unsanitary conditions, or to spur growth.</p>
<p dir="ltr"></p>
<p dir="ltr">The World Health Organization recently <a href="http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2017/antibiotics-animals-effectiveness/en/">warned</a> this unnecessary practice is breeding antibiotic-resistant superbugs that can infect people with illnesses that don’t respond to conventional treatment.</p>
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<p dir="ltr">We shouldn’t be raising food in ways that put tens of thousands of people’s lives at risk — that’s why we’re getting commitments from major restaurant chains to stop serving meat raised on routine antibiotics.</p>
<p dir="ltr"></p>
<p dir="ltr">We’ve made considerable progress over the past two years. We helped convince McDonald’s, Subway and KFC to take chicken raised on human antibiotics off the menu, and these commitments have sparked an industry-wide shift.</p>
<p dir="ltr"></p>
<p dir="ltr">The sale and distribution of medically important antibiotics for food production in the U.S. dropped 14 percent in 2016, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-livestock-antibiotics/antibiotics-sales-for-use-in-u-s-farm-animals-dropped-in-2016-fda-idUSKBN1E201D">according to</a> the Food and Drug Administration, which marks the first year to year decline in sales since recording began. And because of market-based action, we estimate that in the near future, close to half the chicken in this country will be raised without the routine use of medically important antibiotics.</p>
<p dir="ltr"></p>
<p dir="ltr">We’re building on this success, and now we’re pushing companies to take action on beef and pork. We’re starting with McDonald’s, an American icon and the the country’s<a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-mcdonalds-antibiotics-0824-biz-20170823-story.html"> biggest </a>beef buyer.</p>
<p dir="ltr"></p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/fLVzywiqlifrm33wRno43BrVCGwI2HO5nI6d7HI_QUi9JBmXIExFpEFPdrqJjGXv9NzhV_qQy3_ifGBFdm6ktihpwBEMvjJSqwR3R-6CVTcubBAlWtEmkkm7hyCU2lPVRsVVEg2V" alt="" width="624" height="416" /></p>
<p dir="ltr">Credit: Supreet Muppa</p>
<p dir="ltr"></p>
<p dir="ltr">The fast food giant has already signaled a <a href="https://uspirg.org/news/usp/mcdonald%E2%80%99s-changes-meat-supply-guidelines-stem-spread-antibiotic-resistant-bacteria">willingness</a> and intention to move in the right direction on beef and pork, and even McDonald’s <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-meat-antibiotics/investors-call-on-sanderson-dennys-mcdonalds-to-cut-antibiotics-idUSKBN1E81BQ">investors are urging</a> them to take the next step.</p>
<p dir="ltr"></p>
<p dir="ltr">The stakes are high. Already, at least 23,000 people die every year from infections antibiotics can’t cure, and some <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/health-30416844">experts predict</a> these types of infections could kill more people by 2050 than cancer kills today.</p>
<p dir="ltr"></p>
<p dir="ltr">Antibiotics — which treat everything from post-surgery infections to strep throat — were one of the greatest scientific advancements of the 20th century. When they were invented, we called them miracle drugs.</p>
<p dir="ltr"></p>
<p dir="ltr">Now, our miracle drugs are at risk of losing their effectiveness, and action by major meat buyers like McDonald’s to curb antibiotic overuse could turn the tide, and preserve the foundation of modern medicine.</p>
<p>Add your voice to our call today: <a href="https://uspirg.webaction.org/p/dia/action4/common/public/?action_KEY=24179&amp;_ga=2.47225191.1957166494.1516110273-224236544.1510671992">Tell McDonald’s to hold the antibiotics.</a></p>
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<a href="/topics/public-health" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Public Health</a> </li>
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<a href="/topics/antibiotics" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Antibiotics</a> </li>
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Thu, 25 Jan 2018 16:21:06 +0000jhinkle60126 at https://uspirg.orghttps://uspirg.org/blogs/blog/usp/big-mac-can-make-big-dent-stopping-antibiotic-overuse#commentsNew Campaign Calls On McDonald’s To Hold The Antibiotics From Their Meat Supply Chainhttps://uspirg.org/news/usp/new-campaign-calls-mcdonald%E2%80%99s-hold-antibiotics-their-meat-supply-chain
<div class="field field-name-field-newsrelease-status field-type-text field-label-hidden">
For Immediate Release
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<span class="date-display-single" property="dc:date" datatype="xsd:dateTime" content="2018-01-25T00:00:00-05:00">Thursday, January 25, 2018</span>
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<div class="field field-name-field-author-bio field-type-node-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/staff/usp/matt-wellington">Matt Wellington</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden">
<p>Chicago, Ill. — The consumer and public health advocacy organization U.S. PIRG Education Fund is calling on McDonald’s to commit to a concrete timeline to phase out the routine use of medically important antibiotics in its beef and pork supply chains. U.S. PIRG Education Fund is singling out the iconic fast food company because McDonald’s has an outsized influence as the <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-mcdonalds-kfc-antibiotics-0418-biz-20170417-story.html" target="_blank">biggest purchaser of beef</a> in the United States, and it has a vague long-term antibiotics plan. Health experts, including the World Health Organization and American Academy of Pediatrics, warn that the routine use of antibiotics on animals that aren’t sick fuels drug-resistant bacteria, a major health threat to humans. </p>
<p>“Protecting antibiotics requires action, not reaction. If we don’t act now to preserve the effectiveness of these medicines, we’ll face a world in which common infections once again kill,” said Matthew Wellington, antibiotics program director, U.S. PIRG Education Fund. “The Big Mac can make a big dent in stopping the misuse of antibiotics in our food system.” </p>
<p>“We are seeing an increasing number of patients with multi-drug resistant infections, which are difficult to treat due to limited antibiotic options,” said Dr. Afrah Sait, infectious disease fellow at Tufts Medical Center. “To prevent bacteria from becoming resistant and ensure our antibiotics remain effective for patients who need them, it is critical for all of us to carefully consider when and how antibiotics are used and employ them only when absolutely necessary for saving lives.”</p>
<p>As part of the <a href="https://uspirg.org/sites/pirg/files/programs/antibiotics/hold-the-antibiotics.html" target="_blank">national campaign launch</a>, U.S. PIRG Education Fund has started gathering signatures on a petition urging McDonald’s to take action on its beef and pork supply chains. Nearly 10,000 people have already signed on in support. The group’s state affiliates also held events in front of McDonald’s franchises across the country to educate people about the dangers of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and the important role McDonald’s can play. The message was clear: A commitment from McDonald’s to stop selling beef and pork raised with the routine use of antibiotics will protect our ability to treat infections and save lives.</p>
<p>McDonald’s recently released a <a href="http://corporate.mcdonalds.com/mcd/sustainability/sourcing/animal-health-and-welfare/issues-we-re-focusing-on/vision-for-antimicrobial-stewardship-for-food-animals.html" target="_blank">vision</a> for phasing routine antibiotic use out of its entire meat supply chain globally, but it has yet to commit to a timeline for making that vision a reality. </p>
<p>To McDonald’s credit, the company stopped serving chicken raised with medically important antibiotics in 2016, ahead of schedule. At the time, consumer and health advocates, including U.S. PIRG Education Fund and its partners, applauded the company’s actions and influence. Now, fourteen of the top 25 restaurant chains in the U.S. have committed to no longer source chicken raised with routine antibiotics, according to the annual <a href="https://uspirg.org/sites/pirg/files/cpn/USN-011218-A1-REPORT/Chain-Reaction-III.html" target="_blank">Chain Reaction report</a>. </p>
<p>“We convinced McDonald’s to stop serving chicken raised on life-saving medicines,” noted Wellington. “Now, it’s time for the biggest burger chain in the country to make the same commitment for all the meat they sell. Doing so will help protect doctors’ ability to treat infections and save lives.”</p>
<p>The latest numbers from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) show sales of medically important antibiotics to use on food animals decreased from 2015 through 2016, <a href="https://uspirg.org/news/usp/2016-shows-first-decline-antibiotics-sales-livestock-following-numerous-commitments" target="_blank">marking the first decline</a> in year to year sales on record. The decline suggests that restaurants’ new attitude toward antibiotics is making an impact. The FDA data also separates antibiotic sales by species for the first time. It shows significant differences among the percentage of medically important antibiotics going to chicken, cattle and swine — chicken accounts for only 6 percent of sales, while beef accounts for 43 percent and pork for 37 percent. </p>
<p>Some companies including Chipotle, Subway, Panera Bread, Niman Ranch and Applegate have already moved away from all meat raised with routine antibiotic use, or are in the process of doing so. If McDonald’s, which sells a billion pounds of beef in the U.S. every year and a significant amount of pork, commits to only purchase beef and pork raised without misusing antibiotics, we can take a significant step toward ensuring that antibiotics are preserved for treating sick people. </p>
<p><strong>Background info on antibiotic overuse on farms:</strong></p>
<p>Millions of Americans get sick each year with antibiotic-resistant infections, and at least 23,000 of them die. A recent study estimates that by 2050, drug-resistant bacteria may kill more people worldwide than cancer kills today. Some of the biggest users of antibiotics are large, industrial farms, many of which routinely give antibiotics to livestock and poultry even when animals aren’t sick. Approximately 70 percent of medically important antibiotics sold in the U.S. are for use on food animals. To keep antibiotics working, we need to limit their use to situations when animals are sick, or to control verified infectious disease outbreaks on the farm. </p>
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<p><em><a href="https://uspirgedfund.org/">U.S. PIRG Education Fund</a> is an independent, non-partisan group that works for consumers and the public interest. Through research, public education and outreach, we serve as counterweights to the influence of powerful special interests that threaten our health, safety or well-being.</em></p>
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<div class="field field-name-field-term-topics field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden">
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<a href="/topics/public-health" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Public Health</a> </div>
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<a href="/topics/antibiotics" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Antibiotics</a> </div>
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<a href="/topics/food" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Food</a> </div>
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<div class="field field-name-field-noderef-issues field-type-node-reference field-label-hidden">
<a href="/issues/usp/save-our-antibiotics">Save Our Antibiotics</a>
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U.S. PIRG Education Fund
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<p>The consumer and public health advocacy organization U.S. PIRG Education Fund is calling on McDonald’s to commit to a concrete timeline to phase out the routine use of medically important antibiotics in its beef and pork supply chains.</p>
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Wed, 24 Jan 2018 20:32:05 +0000lbrennan59996 at https://uspirg.orghttps://uspirg.org/news/usp/new-campaign-calls-mcdonald%E2%80%99s-hold-antibiotics-their-meat-supply-chain#commentsMr. Gowda Goes to Annapolis (to garner support for toxic flame retardants bill)https://uspirg.org/blogs/blog/usp/mr-gowda-goes-annapolis-garner-support-toxic-flame-retardants-bill
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<a href="/blogs/usp/blog">Blog</a>
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<div class="field field-name-field-shared-post-date field-type-datetime field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single" property="dc:date" datatype="xsd:dateTime" content="2018-01-18T00:00:00-05:00">Thursday, January 18, 2018</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author-bio field-type-node-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/staff/usp/dev-gowda">Dev Gowda</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden">
<p>This week, I expanded on my usual job of getting personal care product companies to remove toxic chemicals from their products by working to get other toxic products away from consumers. I traveled to Annapolis, MD to support Maryland PIRG’s efforts to pass a <a href="http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=billpage&amp;tab=subject3&amp;id=hb0084&amp;stab=01&amp;ys=2018RS">bill</a> to ban certain toxic flame retardant chemicals from children’s products. I was filling in for Maryland PIRG’s State Director Emily Scarr, who is currently on maternity leave (welcome to the world, baby Sadie!). I was warmly greeted by the staff in the State House, and got lots of recommendations about local food choices when they found out I was visiting from Chicago.</p>
<p>I decided to travel personally to Maryland because this bill is so important. Chemical flame retardants are found in many products in our homes: like toys, couches, changing pads and car seats. These chemicals can escape into the air and dust and then enter our bodies. Flame retardant-treated foam in furniture and baby products release more readily into the environment than in other materials.</p>
<p>Babies and young children are more vulnerable than adults to exposure to toxic flame retardants. Commonly used chemical flame retardants are linked to cancer, lower IQ and poor attention in children, hormone disruption, thyroid effects, and obesity.</p>
<p>Flame retardants also pose a hazard to first responders. Firefighters are more likely to be afflicted with some forms of cancer, and that increased incidence may be due to chemical exposures on the job. Building materials and home furnishings now include many synthetic materials, from PVC and other plastics to polyurethane foam, as well as the flame retardants used in these materials. Toxic chemicals are released from these materials during fires, and the protective equipment firefighters use does not completely protect them from toxic exposures. 56% of all career firefighter line-of-duty deaths in 2013 were from job-related cancers.</p>
<p>The worst thing of all is that we don’t even need to use this stuff. There are safer alternatives available and on the market.</p>
<p>Maryland has already banned 2 flame retardants and this new bill would add 3 more flame retardants (DecaBDE, HBCD, and Additive TBBPA) to the list, and expand child care protection age range from 3 to 12 years.</p>
<p>Over the three days I was in Annapolis, I met with 12 Delegates and staff members who are in the Health and Government Operations Committee to get their support for the bill since it currently sits in their committee. I also met with the leader of the House firefighter caucus to get their support for the bill.</p>
<p>Special thanks to Delegates Bonnie Cullison, Karen Lewis-Young, Andrew Platt, Marice Morales, Samuel Rosenberg, and Joseline Pena-Melnyk for agreeing to co-sponsor the bill!</p>
<p>The risks far outweigh the benefits of using these products due to the high level of toxicity. There are safer alternatives available, so it is time to phase out these chemical flame retardants. Minnesota and Washington State have already restricted these toxic chemicals and it’s time for Maryland and other states to eliminate these chemicals to protect our children and first responders.</p>
<p>We’ll keep you posted on the status of this bill and I look forward to visiting Maryland again soon! And the Maryland crab cake from Galway Bay Irish Restaurant was great. Thanks to the senior staff member of the Health Committee Chair’s office for the recommendation!</p>
<p><img alt="" class="media-image" typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://uspirg.org/sites/pirg/files/styles/large/public/angela%20angel%20and%20dev%20pic.jpg?itok=oBFwlNf5" /></p>
<p><em>U.S. PIRG Toxics Program Advocate Dev Gowda with Maryland House Bill 84 lead sponsor, Delegate Angela Angel.</em></p>
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<p><img alt="" class="media-image" typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://uspirg.org/sites/pirg/files/styles/large/public/crab%20cakes%20pic.jpg?itok=UxMEG-6A" /></p>
<p><em>Crab cakes from Galway Bay Irish Restaurant, Annapolis</em></p>
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Fri, 19 Jan 2018 03:59:02 +0000dev59961 at https://uspirg.orghttps://uspirg.org/blogs/blog/usp/mr-gowda-goes-annapolis-garner-support-toxic-flame-retardants-bill#comments